Machine for marking articles



W. A. PIERSON.

MACHINE FOR MARKING ARTICLES.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.II,1919.

Iatented Aug. 8, 192g 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Hi5 ATT II EIS WILLIAM A. PIEBSON, OI! SAEATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOB MARKING ARTICLES.

raaaeso.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

Application filed October 11, 1919. Serial No. 330,131.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. Pmnson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Saratoga Springs, in the county of Saratoga and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Marking Articles of Merchandise, of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for simultaneously marking a plurality of articles of merchandise, such for example as fruits, nuts, eggs and the like, and while I have herein shown and described the apparatus as particularly adapted for marking nuts, it will be understood that the invention is not so restricted, as by simple and obvious changes it may be adapted for marking fruits, eggs and like articles and products without departing from the nature and spirit of the invention.

In carrying out the invention, I preferably employ a conveyor and means for delivering the articles to be marked to the conveyor together with suitably arranged marking devices coacting with the conveyor in such a manner that as the articles to be marked are transferred from one position to another, they are also marked or stamped before leaving the apparatus. Furthermore, the invention includes mechanism by which the marking devices are yieldingly mounted and the tension on the same made adjustable so that the marking of fruits and other similar products for example may be effected without in any manner injuring the same as will be hereinafter more particularly de-. scribed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus comprising my present invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a partial cross section through the conveyor taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of the selector devices employed in feeding the articles to be marked from the hopper to the chutes by which they are conveyed to the conveyor.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the apparatus comprising this invention includes side frame members 10 and 11 which are suitably secured to one another in spaced positions by tie bolts or rods 12. In the frame members of the machine at one side thereof, there are bearings 13 in which a shaft 14 is mounted. This shaft 14 carries a cylinder 15, in the periphery of which there are recesses for the purpose to be hereinafter disclosed. On the shaft 14, there is also mounted a pulley 16 which, as indicated, is secured on the shaft at one end thereof exteriorly of the frame member 11. On the other end of the shaft 14, and as indicated, exteriorly of the frame member 10 a pulley 17 is secured.

At the other side of the frame members there are bearing blocks 18 mounted to move in slide ways 19, and journaled in and extending between the bearing blocks 18, is a shaft 20. On the shaft 20, there is mounted a cylinder 21 which is in all respects similar to the cylinder 15. Passing over the cylinders 15 and 21, I employ a conveyor or endless belt 22. In the outer surface of this endless conveyor 22, and preferably arranged in transverse lines, there are series of-matrices or recesses 23, the belt being made, as will be understood, of leather, rubber fabric or any combination of the same or any other material suitable to the use to which it is applied. The endless conveyor is maintained at the desired tension by means of adjusting screws 24: which are swiveled to the bearing blocks 18 and pass through and may be turned in plate members 25 extending across the slideways 19 and suitably secured to the frame of the apparatus.

At this side of the apparatus, the frame members include a bracket 26 which is provided to support a hopper 27 for receiving the nuts or other articles which are to be marked by the machine. Journaled in suitable bearings and passing through the hopper 27 is a shaft 28. On this shaft 28 are mounted in spaced positions a series of selector members 29. Each selector 29 is spaced from the adjacent selector by a washer or other spacer indicated. at 30, and in the periphery of each selector member there is a series of pockets 31 and projecting or overhanging extensions 32 having curved outer surfaces so as to permit one article at a time to enter a pocket 31 and to move all the other articles adjacent the selector away from the pocket. The selector members turn in the direction of the arrow as indicated in Fig. 1, and the articles as contained in the pockets therein are delivered to chutes 33 and conveyed thereby to the endless conveyor 22, it being understood that irrespective of the number of selector members, there is a chute for each selector member employed, and also that there is a corresponding number of the matrices or recesses in each line of the same in the endless conveyor, and furthermore, it will be understood that the parts are so timed thatthe nuts are delivered to the endless conveyor so as to fill each successive row of matrices or recesses as the same pass beneath the discharge orifices of the chutes 33. The articles in the hopper are prevented from coming into contact with the top of the selectors by means of an apron 30. EX tending above the endless conveyor and from the discharge orifices of the chutes 33 there is a corresponding series'of guides 34 making channels in which, each of the successive rows of matrices in the endless conveyor move, and consequently in which the successive rows of nuts are carried forward to the marking or printing apparatus to be hereinafter described, and in each of these channels there is provided a stop 35' inclined in such a direction as to prevent the endless conveyor from carrying any improperly placed article to the marking or printing devices. It will be understood'that when the endless conveyor is of sufli'ciently small thickness to causethe matrices or recesses therein to produce corresponding projections on the inner side of the conveyor, it

will be necessar to iovide in thesurface of the cyllnders recesses to receive the same,

and to which recesses 1n the surfaces of the cylinders reference has hereinbefore been made. v

Associated with the cylinder 15, I employ a marking or printing cylinder 36. This cylinder36 is mounted on a shaft 37 journaled in bearing blocks 38 which are mounted in slide ways 39 formed in the side members of the machine. Each bearing block 38 as clearly indicated in 1, is provided with springs 40 and 4:1, the former surrounding a rod or guide pin 42 secured in the corre sponding bearing block and extending through a plate 13 so as to make it possible to adjust the tension on the spring, while the spring 41 extends between the underor lower side of the corresponding bearing block and the base of the recess forming the slideways I, in which the bearing blocks move. On the surface of the-marking or printing cylinders 36, there are series of rows of dies oriubber't'ype or other similar marking or printing devices, it being'understood that these are suitably made and spaced and secured to the surface of the cylinder in any suitable manner as'to come in contact with and make an impression upon the nuts or other articles to be marked or printed as the same are carried between the cylinders 15 and 36 by the endless conveyor 22.

I also; employ an inking cylinder 45. This is mounted on a shaft 46 which is journaled in suitable bearings 47 slidably mounted in ijaeaeso As illustrated in the drawing, theshaft '28 is turned from the shaft 20 by means of a belt 54, and the shaft 37 and the marking or i nking roller 36 are turned from the shaft 1a through the'pulley 17 and a belt 55 passing over a pulley 56 on theshaft 37 ,and also over an idler pulley 55 yieldingly mounted to provide the necessary shifting of the distance between the shaft 14 and the shaft 37 and atthe same time keep the belt 55 suificiently taut to drive the shaft 37. 7 Obviously the shaft 37 may be driven in any other suitable manner. The shaft 46 is turned from the shaft 37 by means of a belt 57 which passes over a pulley 58 on the shaft 37 and a pulley 59 on the'shaft 46, it being understood of course, that the 'shaftZO'and the cylinder mounted thereon are turned from the shaft 14 by the endless conveyor 22; In

the'operati'on of this apparatus, thenuts to be marked are placed in the hopper 27 and upon the parts of'the apparatus being" actuated, the same are fed successively by'ft'he selector devices '29 to the chutes 33 "and delivered to the endless conveyor falling into the inatric'esor recesses provided therefor in the same. By the endless conveyor, the nuts are carried between the cylinders 15 "and 36 and in passing between the cylinders each nut is marked or printed or otherwise impressedwith a name or trade mark or other designation as may be desired to indicate the name of the manufacturer or the place of manufacture or the" name of'the article or anything elsedesired, and then delivered I to the receiver 60, it being understood, as

hereinbefore stated, that the tension on the marking or printing roller may be adjusted so that irrespective of the nature of the article being marked, its texture not be marred or injured.

I claim as myinventloni 1. In a machine of the class described-a frame, an endless conveyor mounted therein,

a printing cylinder, meansfor yieldingly supporting the printing cylinder, means for yiel'dingly maintaining the printing cylinder normally in contactwiththe conveyor, and

an inking cylinder, normally maintained in continuous yielding contactwith the surface of the inkin cylinder. I I

2. In a machine of the class described, a

frame, an endless conveyor mounted therein, devices for supplying articles to be marked to the endless conveyor, a printing cylinder, sliding bearings in which the printing cylinder is mounted, means for yieldingly supporting the sliding bearings and printing cylinder, yielding means for maintaining the printing cylinder in contact with the conveyor, an inking cylinder, and means for yieldingly mounting the same and maintaining the surface thereof continuously in contact With the surface of the inking cylinder.

3. In a machine of the class described, a frame, an endless conveyor mounted therein, devices for feeding articles to be marked to the endless conveyor, a printing cylinder, sliding bearings in Which the printing cylinder is mounted, springs for supporting the sliding bearings, springs for maintaining the sliding bearings in such positions as to maintain the printing cylinder in contact With the endless conveyor, devices for adjusting the tension on the last aforesaid springs to vary the pressure With which the printing cylinder is maintained in contact against the endless conveyor, and an inking cylinder yieldingly mounted to bear constantly againstthe surface of the printing cylinder and to thereby follow the movements thereof.

a. In a machine of the class described, a frame, an endless conveyor mounted therein, devices for feeding articles to be marked to the endless conveyor, a printing cylinder,

sliding bearings in Which the printing cylinder is mounted, springs for supporting the sliding bearings, springs for maintaining the sliding bearings in such positions as to maintain the printing cylinder in contact With the endless conveyor, devices for adjustingthe tension on the last aforesaid springs to vary the pressure With Which the printing cylinder is maintained in contact against the endless conveyor, an inking cylinder, sliding bearings in Which the inking cylinder is mounted, and springs for yieldingly maintaining the said bearings in such positions that the surface of the inking cylinder is constantly maintained against the surface of the printing cylinder.

Signed this 23rd day of September 1919.

WILLIAM A. PIERSON. 

